


Updraft

by AnPresonPeepul



Category: F-Zero (Video Games), Super Smash Brothers
Genre: Alternate Universe, Based in F-Zero, Chrom just wants some grandkids, Detective Lucina, F/M, Kirby is Meta Knight's (kinda) son, Meta Knight is kinda there, Or as much as I can make it fit, Robin the shipper, Robin's cafe, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-15
Updated: 2020-06-12
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:27:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24191326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnPresonPeepul/pseuds/AnPresonPeepul
Summary: They were simply partners, at least that’s they kept telling themselves. Working together to reach their own goals. What they’d do after didn’t matter, not when they had a job to finish. But maybe they didn’t have to get through it just yet.
Relationships: Captain Falcon (F-Zero)/Lucina (Fire Emblem)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 1

With an arm woven under his shoulders, Lucina led her father up the stairs. She kept her steps in pace with his. Whenever his body shuddered to give a cough, she stopped and held him steady.

After the third cough, Chrom huffed. "You don't have to do this, you know," he said.

"Nonsense," she replied. "It's always been my pleasure."

"I was talking about helping me up the stairs."

"As was I."

Chrom gave her a funny look. She returned it with a look of her own, her eyebrow raised.

"I'm sick, not old."

"I'm not taking chances, not when you're forty-four already."

"Forty-five. And it's not that old."

"Is my assistance unwelcome?" she asked.

"No no, not that. It's just a rather strange thing to say."

"Is it? As a civil servant, serving others should always be a pleasure." A smile wormed its way to her lips, and her mind wandered to the past. "You said it yourself when you visited the police academy."

"Yes, I remember."

"You also said it when you visited my high school. And when you visited my middle school as well. And–"

"I get it, I get it," he said, cutting her off. He shook his head. "Using my own words against me."

Lucina frowned. "Do you not like it?"

"No, it's... it's great that you can go out of your way to help people, but don't you have anything better to do?"

Lucina's frown deepened. In a way, that was his way of telling her that, yes, it did bother him.

"Why does it bother you so much?" she asked. "Do I speak too much? Is it how I'm supporting you?"

"None of that. I just think you spend too much time around me. Don't you have anything you want to do? Any goals of your own?"

"Right now, my only goal is getting you to bed."

Chrom huffed again, and his eyes strayed to the floor.

They climbed up in silence for a few seconds more. Their footsteps rang hollow in the stairwell, echoing off the tight walls, drowning out the faint sounds of chatter behind them. Shadows moved in the light from below as it nipped at their heels, growing weaker and weaker with each step.

Lucina felt her father stumble. She tightened her grip around him as he coughed again, and a smile tugged at her lips when he muttered his gratitude a second after.

"That party," he said, nodding downstairs, "sure was something, wasn't it?"

"It was, father."

"Quite the attendance list. Everyone showed up."

"Of course they would, father. They're your friends."

He looked up at her, and his brows drew down. "I know that. I'm sick. Not old. Remember?"

"You're forty-four, father. Er... forty-five."

"I'm no old man."

"I never said you were an old man."

"You implied it."

"You interpreted it, didn't you?"

Chrom chuckled. As he quieted down, a small smile remained on his lips.

They'd reached the top of the stairs now. Guiding her father along, Lucina led him to his bedroom just down the hall. She pushed the door open for him, and as he walked past her, he looked over.

"Forty-five, huh? Forty-five years of being alive. Forty-five birthdays. I'm sure I've said it before, but it's the birthdays I've spent with you that I treasure the most."

"Father..."

"Each year, some people come, some people don't. Sometimes they bring others with them. Boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands, wives. But you never fail to show up, and that's all any father could ask for." He frowned. "That said, you always show up alone. You never bring anyone with you."

"That's because I have no one to bring."

Chrom pouted. The expression looked rather strange on his face. "That's no fun. Won't you get lonely?"

"I have you, father. That is enough."

"That's what I'm worried about."

The bedsprings groaned as Chrom lay his body over the mattress. His smile seemed almost sad, sad enough to tug at Lucina's heartstrings. She wasn't heartless.

"Don't be so down, father," she said, kneeling down to look him in the eye. "I'll find someone someday."

He snorted. "You'd better. I'd like some grandchildren, you know."

"Yes, I know."

She turned on her heel. Silence was all that stayed between them as she headed for the door. As she placed her hand on the doorknob, moving to close it, Chrom held up a hand to stop her.

"Can I get you anything?" she asked.

He shook his head. "I'm fine. I just thought of something." The corners of his lips twitched. "Is it possible you've not found anyone because you don't want me to share those embarrassing baby photos with them?"

"Father. I burned that book," Lucina said, her expression the flattest she could manage.

"Is that so?"

The way he chuckled had her narrowing her eyes. When he turned his back, she knew something was up.

"What did you do?"

"Nothing." A pause. "Though, I thought, since you're so young, you'd know that everything is digital nowadays. I still have an electronic album of your baby photos I can show anytime I wish."

Lucina wanted to know where. She wanted to pester him until he gave in (because the gods knew he would) so she could get rid of that album as well.

But it was late, and she didn't have the patience for it tonight.

Silently cursing the gods for her impatience, she said, "Father. Go to bed."

"I love you, Luci."

The door stopped inches away from closing. A sigh escaped Lucina's lips. "I love you too," she said.

Then the door clicked shut.

* * *

When Lucina went back downstairs, she found it empty. Aside from a few chairs out of place, and one or two dishes laid haphazardly on the table she could just barely see from the stairwell.

Although he had a decent job, her father was not a wealthy man. His house, as a result, was fairly cramped, even without all the people he'd invited for his birthday.

And now, with all of them gone, it looked nice and cozy. It was a house she'd grown up in, and with the sound of chatter no longer hanging in the air, it felt familiar once more.

"I suppose everyone has already headed home," Lucina said. "There's nobody left here but me."

"Ouch."

Lucina glanced down. Draped over the couch like a lazy kitten, Robin met her gaze with a smirk, her coat spread out under her.

"Sticks and stones, Lucina. I thought your old man would've taught you better," she said.

"What are you still doing here?" Lucina said, plopping herself down on a nearby chair.

"I'm waiting for my ride. Something which, if I remember, you don't have."

"So I took a taxi here," Lucina said, frowning. "What is your point?"

"Unless you plan on staying here, I can have my driver drop you off at your apartment."

"And if I do plan on staying?"

Robin waved a hand over her head. "Then feel free to leech off your father's kindness as much as you want."

"I'm not leeching off anyone!" Lucina said, and she put a hand to her chest.

"Sure. And I'm the Fell Dragon." Robin had a laugh at that.

"It's just for one day!"

"I don't know, Lucina. The last time you said that you didn't come back for a week."

"I got caught up in... police business. I told you."

"Lucina. I visited that week. Your father said you had the week off."

Lucina coughed into her hand. "You were there? How come I never saw you?"

"I thought your father was lying since you were clearly so busy doing 'police work', so I never thought to drop by. After all, it wasn't as if I sent you a hundred messages asking to meet up, didn't I?"

"How would I know 'Would you like to meet up at the theater' meant the theater here, and not the one in the city?"

"Point taken." Robin's smile grew, and the sudden light in her eyes promised mischief. "Say, if you'd like to make it up to me, why don't you join me for a trip down to the Exalt's Festival? I hear that they're returning to Ylisstol sometime this week. We used to go there all the time, remember?"

"I remember. I'm not as old and senile as you."

"At least I'm still young enough to have fun. Last I recall, you never let your me or your parents take any of the rides."

Lucina took offense to that. She'd grown out of that, surely.

"In any case, I cannot go. I have work to do."

"Oh?" Robin's tone took on a playful edge. "Are you sure it's simply because you have no one to go with you?"

"You're one to talk. You're just as single as I."

Robin scoffed. "For your information, I do have a boyfriend. He's the one who's picking me up today. You wouldn't know, since you have yet to meet him."

"And I won't believe he exists until I meet him. You said it yourself: the day the matchmaker becomes the matched is the day I'd stop fretting over my father. And that has yet to happen, hasn't it?" Lucina gave Robin a lopsided smile. "Speaking of which, have you found someone to share my rent?"

"Actually," Robin said, brightening, "I did find you a roommate. An old friend of your father's, someone named Jody Summers."

"Truly?"

"No, I lied." Robin's giddy expression gave away her bluff.

Lucina snorted. She didn't respond, and for a minute, no one spoke. She was comfortable to keep it that way, at least until Robin left.

"You're not the only one who cares, you know."

"Hm?" Lucina glanced up at Robin.

"I actually told my boyfriend to pick me up late so I could help Chrom." Robin chuckled dryly. "Though I suppose with you here, I needn't have tried."

"I mean no offense to you," Lucina groaned, "or Uncle Lon'qu or Aunt Lissa, but he is my father. Am I not supposed to help him?"

Robin shook her head. "No. Just... you never take time to enjoy yourself, by yourself."

"Robin."

"Get yourself a day off to go there, and let some of us help in your stead."

"Robin." Lucina pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed, even as Robin fell silent. She should have seen this coming; it was an argument that always seemed to break out whenever her father was involved, and one that she never enjoyed.

"I have one case," she said. "One case left before I can get that promotion, and I can pay to have my father's illness treated. I don't have time for the festival or anything frivolous like that."

"Come on. It's not as if he only has a week left to live. The doctors say the illness won't take a turn for the worse for years. Your father wouldn't want you to put aside everything for him."

"What my father would want won't matter if he's dead!" Lucina snapped. "You can't say the illness won't suddenly accelerate without warning."

"Then let me help," Robin said. "I can pay for you."

And there it was. Every time, Robin would give her a way out.

It was an option she could not take.

"Robin, you have your cafe to take care of. I cannot ask you to stretch yourself thin for our sake."

Robin frowned, and she turned away. "Speak for yourself."

The silence that followed was more awkward than the last. Lucina could sense Robin's displeasure. It was never a pleasant thing to discuss, and they could never agree on how to handle it.

The cushions rustled as she pushed herself to her feet. "I will be heading out for some air," she said. "Feel free to stay until your driver gets here. I shouldn't be gone for long."

"My boyfriend shouldn't be far off, either," Robin said. "I'll be out of your hair within half an hour."

"I'll see you tomorrow." Lucina turned and headed for the door.

"You'd better."

The cool night air washed over Lucina's face as she stepped outside. It felt nice just to let the cold caress her cheeks. Lucina pushed through the desire to simply bask in the breeze, and she walked down the steps and into the night.

Down the road, she saw a pair of headlights approach. As they drew closer, she was able to make out the shape of a car, painted a deep blue.

 _That must be the boyfriend Robin spoke about,_ she thought. _It's either that, or her brother. It would not be unlike her to try to fool me like that._

Her eyes drifted away, and she swept them over her surroundings. Not a single window glowed with light, the neighborhood around her completely asleep. It was a nice, serene picture, one she could fondly remember running through late at night years ago.

She wasn't here to enjoy the sights, however.

A piece of paper came out of her pocket. _Ylisstol Field_ , it read.

Lucina glanced off into the distance. Over the sleeping neighborhood, Lucina saw lights flicker over a grassy plain, a tower keeping watch over it all. No planes flew overhead, not at this hour.

A sigh pushed itself through her lips. Keeping the piece of paper in front of her, Lucina pulled out her phone and put it to her ear.

"Hello? Yes, I'd like to take a taxi to Ylisstol Field." She paused to let the person on the other end speak.

"Yes. I'd like one now if it's convenient. And no, this isn't some ill-thought-out practical joke."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before anyone asks, I decided to make Brotherhood of Smash bi-weekly. I know I said I'll have this as my Saturday fic, but I'm going to try to alternate between this and Brotherhood of Smash to see it helps keep me motivated to update both. I was originally going to take this in a more comedic direction, like all my other romance-based stories, but I couldn't find a version of an opening that clicked with me and was funny enough, so I decided to take a more serious approach.
> 
> For anyone who hasn't been following me on the Super Smash Prose discord server (invite code is: gDK48ua, I'm quite active there), I've been somewhat excited to write this fic for a while. Aside from Buttercups Over Tea and Hitting the Books, I've not done many ship-fics, even though I have so many I want to get to. I know it might seem like just another one of my Fire Emblem fics, what with all the mentions of the Fire Emblem cast, but trust me, I'll get into the Smash Bros bits soon enough.
> 
> Also, shoutout to Rie Sonomura, who's responsible for getting me into the S. S. Falconcina. If you think this looks interesting, check out their stuff if you want more, because updates are going to be slow.
> 
> Next update comes out in two weeks. Until then, I wish you all well, and stay safe!


	2. Chapter 2

The name Captain Falcon meant many things. To some, he was a hero. To some, he was an obstacle to overcome. To some, he was a name whispered beneath the dim lighting deep underground.

To Douglas Jay Falcon, he was a facade. And as he slowly crept back into the world from the depths of his sleep, he was reminded of it in the most painful way.

The back of his neck hurt like hell, from the back of his skull to his shoulders. Whenever he tried to move his head, pain would cut through the haze still settled over his mind. A pained hiss escaped his lips, and as he reached up to rub his neck, Falcon glanced over at the dials and buttons dotting the dashboard in front of him.

"Falcon Flyer" he mumbled, "what time is it?"

From a speaker to his right, a monotone voice replied, "10pm in the local time, sir."

A look outside the window proved it correct. Darkness covered the sky, broken only by the stars scattered throughout it and the blinking lights of the city below.

"You have been asleep for six hours," the voice droned on, "and at your current velocity, you will arrive at Ylisstol Airfield within five minutes."

"I only asked for the time, not a status report," Falcon said. "Why don't you give me the weather while you're at it?"

"The local weather forecast calls for clear skies for the next–"

"Falcon Flyer, please shut up."

The voice of the Falcon Flyer cut off with a click. Falcon leaned back in his seat and scowled, waiting for the throbbing in his neck to subside.

"What I wouldn't do to be back in my bed right now," he groaned, and he rubbed his neck again. "Why did I have to take this job, anyway?"

The voice was quick to respond. "You took the job for the payment, and the next F-Zero race is in three months."

"Yes, I know. No need to remind me." Falcon waved a hand behind him. "I just wish this bounty was a little closer to home."

Running a hand down his face, Falcon rolled his neck, finding satisfaction in the popping noise it made. As he rolled his shoulders back, he lamented all the wonderful amities he'd left back home. His soft bed, his bathtub.

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

A sharp noise shook him from his thoughts. Falcon leveled a glare at the flashing red light on the dashboard as if it were the cause of all his problems, and he briefly wished he had remained asleep.

"Who's calling?" he asked.

"Jody Summer, from the Galactic Space Federation."

"Tell her to call back later. I can't be bothered to deal with her this early in the morning."

"It's night."

Falcon narrowed his eyes. "Not home, it isn't."

"Logistics dictate that would be an unwise decision," the voice said, its flat voice somehow carrying an admonishing tone. "She is your contractor, after all."

"Well, she can contact me later. If she has a problem with it, she can talk to you."

The voice fell silent. For a moment, Falcon relaxed, believing that problem dealt with, and he let himself settle into the calm that followed.

Reaching beneath the dashboard, he felt through the cold metal compartments beneath, brushing past sheets of paper that were probably important and a forgotten pack of gum until finally, his fingers closed around the familiar shape of his helmet.

He pulled it out and set it down in front of him. Setting his chin on his steepled hands, he stared down at the thing. His lips tugged down into a frown. Though the visor was dark, he could easily imagine two glowing blue eyes staring back at him.

He'd heard somewhere that all self-reflections took place in the dead of night, under the silver light of the stars.

Faintly, he was aware that the red light was still flashing. He didn't have the energy to answer it, still in the middle of hauling himself into the waking world. If he were Captain Falcon, though, maybe he would have been able to.

Captain Falcon didn't get a stiff neck. Captain Falcon didn't whine about having to stay away from home. Captain Falcon didn't take so long to wake up, even in the middle of the night.

The helmet, the very same one before him, was all that separated him from Captain Falcon. Yet they couldn't be more different.

At least Captain Falcon would have the courtesy to answer the damn phone.

"I am patching her through now."

Falcon's eyes widened, the calm shattering and falling to pieces around him.

"Wait, what?"

"Boss' orders."

"I am your boss."

"And she is yours. Therefore, her word overrides your own."

Falcon cursed. "Hold her for a minute!" he shouted, as he fumbled for his helmet.

The face of Jody Summer blipped onto the screen on the dashboard just as he finished slipping it over his head.

"Jody!" Falcon forced his lips into a smile he hoped didn't look too plastic.

Jody quirked an eyebrow. "Captain. I haven't disturbed you, have I? The flight over to Ylisstol is quite long, so you need all the rest you can get."

"Not at all," Falcon said, shaking his head. "If crime never sleeps, then neither shall I! Now," he leaned over the dashboard, "was there anything you needed to tell me?"

Jody looked like she wanted to ask something, but she shook it off. "As you know, we've received reports of Blood Falcon in the area. Since your task is to hunt him down and put a stop to whatever havoc he may cause, you'll need a place to stay."

"Well, that's not going to be a problem! The Falcon Flyer is good enough for me." Falcon slapped a hand over his seat, and he flashed a smile to reassure her.

"Surely the Falcon Flyer isn't the most comfortable place to sleep," Jody said. "Ylisstol is quite large. I expect it will take some time for you to hunt him down. As such, I've made a few arrangements with a friend of mine for you to stay somewhere within the city."

Falcon paused, and he had to hold back a grimace. Frankly, that sounded like a terrible idea. He'd have to go out of his ship and expose himself, not as Captain Falcon, with all the attention that would bring, but as Douglas Jay Walker.

Then he glanced back at his ship, to the giant blue car parked inside, and at all the hard, metal surfaces between. Just thinking about sleeping in here almost made him wince.

Before Jody could notice him falter, he returned his grin to his face. "You're too kind! Where can I find this place?"

"My friend set up an apartment room somewhere downtown." A message flashed across the screen. An address of some kind. "Head to the cafe located here, and the owner should be able to direct you there."

"Will do." Falcon gave her a salute. "Is that all you wished to speak about?"

Jody looked away. After a second's pause, her shoulders slumped, and she said, "If anything is bothering you, I'd be willing to listen."

"I'll let you know if I ever need it," Falcon chuckled. He pressed a button off to the side, and Jody's face faded into black.

Falcon collapsed back into his seat with a sigh. His eyes lingered on the blank screen, almost as if he was afraid she would appear again to try and wring out his life's story from him. Beside it, the red light showed no signs of life.

_She'd be willing to listen?_ He laughed dryly. _To Captain Falcon, maybe._

His eyes wandered to the window, watching the lights from the city below run past him, so small from his place high in the sky. A minute passed by as he just sat there idle, the gentle rumble of the engines keeping him company in the lonely silence.

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

That is, until that infuriating sound barged back into the room. Why couldn't the world just let him have some peace?

"Who is it now?" Falcon growled.

The voice of the Falcon Flyer replied, "It's air traffic control."

"Oh. Well, I'll leave you to take care of it, like you always do."

A crackle of static was his only reply. The beeping had vanished, but the flickering red light meant that the Falcon Flyer's AI was doing its job, leaving Falcon to stare at it wordlessly, waiting for something to happen.

It wasn't as if he could do anything to help.

Eventually, the Falcon Flyer returned. "Air traffic control says we're clear to land at–bzzt."

A burst of static cut off the Falcon Flyer without warning. Worry creased Falcon's brow, and, leaning closer to the speaker, he said, "What's going on? Is something wrong?"

He received no response. A nervous tingle raced up his neck, and although he could see nothing wrong, a pit opened in his stomach.

He realized why a second later: everything had fallen deathly silent. The constant hum of machinery around him came to a grinding halt. Even the engines no longer made a peep.

Suddenly, Falcon was reminded of the fact that he was trapped inside a metal box, hovering thousands of feet above the ground.

"Hey! Is something wrong?" he asked again, trying to keep his rising panic from his voice.

This time, he got a response. One that didn't make him feel any better. "Error. Connection to the controls has been severed. Reinstating manual control."

"Manual control?" he almost screamed. "I don't know how to fly this thing!"

He could drive a flying car any day, but an aircraft? An aircraft was different. With how much the thing was automated anyway, he hadn't bothered learning how to pilot it.

Not that he had much time to regret his decision, not with how fast the ground was approaching.

"Thirty seconds left. Better hurry."

Falcon lunged for the steering wheel, the one thing he could make sense of. His fingers slipped over it on his first attempt. He caught it on his second try, but the ship shuddered, shaking it free. The third time, he managed to grab it.

"Twenty seconds left. Oh no."

The lights on the ground, so small in the distance, were a lot bigger now. He could make out the lights lining the runway, the lamps scattered over the pavement.

Falcon's first thought was to jerk the steering wheel up. When he tried it, the entire ship trembled. The lights flickered. Behind him, the engines gave a nasty cough. Something snapped.

He flinched. Slowly, he set the steering wheel back down. Maybe there was some other way to go about this?

Then, at the dead center of the windshield, he saw her. A woman. Flowing blue hair. Standing right in his path.

"Ten seconds left."

There wasn't any time to think of a better way. Mustering all the strength he had, Falcon pulled.

"Five."

A bolt beneath the wheel popped off. A few wires snapped.

"Four."

In front of him, the woman's eyes were wide with terror.

"Three."

Her blue hair trailed behind her as she disappeared from sight. Falcon could only hope she'd remembered to duck.

"Two."

The road before him drew back. Slowly, it began to level off.

"One."

His ship jolted. A loud, metal clang followed.

His ears resounded with a terrible screeching. Long and drawn out, like an awl dragged over his eardrums.

_Thud!_

Then, it all stopped, leaving Falcon dazed, hovering over the dashboard of his ship, his face inches away from the glass. The second his back hit his chair, he let out a gust of air. His helmet felt hot and stuffy, so he tore it off, letting the cool night air wrap around his face.

Sweeping his gaze over the inside of his ship, the few lights on before completely dark, he muttered, "I really need to learn how to fly this thing."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the late chapter, my life just decided to throw me into the gutter last week, and writer's block hit me like a truck full of porcupines. Hopefully, I can get this thing updated more regularly.
> 
> I've never actually played an F-Zero game, so my research consisted entirely of scrolling through the F-Zero wiki and picking up what bits and pieces I could find. I tried to piece what I could get into a cohesive character as best I could, mixed in with a few headcanons I thought would spice up the conflict a bit. If you think I did a piss poor job at it, feel free to let me know.
> 
> The next update will roll around in two weeks. Until then, I wish you all well, and stay safe!


End file.
